The Deputy Director of the CIA, Michael Ellis, recently stirred controversy by claiming that China poses an “unprecedented existential threat” to U.S. security. He declared that the top priority for the new CIA leadership is to counter China, especially to help American businesses maintain a “decisive technological advantage” in fields such as artificial intelligence, chips, biotechnology, and battery technology.

According to a May 21 report from Axios, Ellis revealed in an interview with the media outlet that China is the new leadership’s top focus for the CIA. He stated that while Russia will continue to be a challenge and focus of intelligence gathering, as will adversaries like Iran and North Korea, the CIA will also place greater emphasis on drug cartels, elevating the previously somewhat marginalized anti-drug department within the agency.

Ellis in an interview with Axios

“China poses to U.S. security an unprecedented existential threat,” he said, adding that the CIA’s personnel structure and strategies need to evolve to meet the demands of the era and the priorities of President Trump.

Ellis mentioned that human intelligence techniques from the Cold War era might still have some utility, but due to advancements in the adversaries’ surveillance technologies, the successful application of these techniques has become increasingly challenging.

“We need more talent with technical backgrounds, more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) graduates,” he said.

Ellis proposed inviting the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), Musk, to visit the CIA and expressed that by learning from such private sector leaders, “we can gain many efficiency improvements.”

He also addressed the topic of personnel cuts, suggesting that the upcoming layoffs “are in some sense actually an opportunity” to “restructure” the workforce.

“We cannot let the intelligence community be weaponized or politicized,” Ellis stated. The report suggests this is an apparent response to President Trump’s claims that the “deep state” was working against him.

Ellis remarked that it is time to “truly rid ourselves of the distractions and biases that I believe may have existed in the past.”

The change in U.S. administration has not altered its comprehensive blockade and suppression of China in technological and other fields, with the CIA recognized as a key player in this strategy. Ironically, earlier this month, while hyping up the “national security threat” posed by China, the CIA blatantly released two Chinese-language videos on social media purportedly aimed at “recruiting Chinese officials to steal secrets.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian responded by pointing out that the videos posted by the CIA on social media serve as another “self-admission” with solid evidence. The U.S. not only maliciously smeared and attacked China but also brazenly incited and enticed Chinese personnel to defect, even directly targeting Chinese government officials, which is a severe infringement on China’s national interests and a flagrant political provocation that China strongly condemns.

“China will take all necessary measures to resolutely combat infiltration and sabotage activities by overseas anti-China forces and firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests,” Lin Jian said.

Editor: Zhongxiaowen